


how did it get so late so soon?

by gumibea



Series: drive it like you stole it [2]
Category: X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22787884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gumibea/pseuds/gumibea
Summary: "Am I snapping the excitementIf I pack away the laugtherAnd tell you how it feels"- Fire And The Thud, Arctic Monkeys
Relationships: Cho Seungyeon | Seungyoun/Lee Hangyul
Series: drive it like you stole it [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1638265
Kudos: 31





	how did it get so late so soon?

*

Seungyoun loosened his tie around his neck while idly waiting for the elevator to stop at the sixth floor. It’s the fourth quarter of the year, which means no other than overtime hours and tremendous amount of work and deadlines, tying with migraine for all employees at the bank. The watch on his left wrist tells him it’s close to 9 p.m., Seungyoun feels his body is slowing quitting and can’t help but let out a weary sigh. The Head of Department wasn’t satisfied with his report, pointing out mistakes and ordering him to finish the task before noon tomorrow while Seungyoun was keeping his head low. Three years working here still doesn’t make the busiest season any less awful; the year-end bonuses are sweet, though, and they are the only reason Seungyoun is still trying to pull through.

The office was almost empty. Seungyoun was a bit surprised when he saw the dim light at the cubicle not so far from his spot and fastened his pace to see Hangyul sleeping at his desk with his head on his right arm and left hand still hovering over the notepad next to his keyboard. One quick glance at the numerous running tabs on the taskbar and a few post-it notes stuck on the side of the computer screen, Seungyoun could tell the younger colleague is trying his best at this job despite being the newcomer during the busiest season; he must have fallen asleep while taking a 3 minute break from the work he’s doing. Seungyoun has seen it before, how the younger skipped lunch to go over details that are often considered not much significant and stayed back at the office when he realized Seungyoun was staying, just so he could ask Seungyoun to guide him a bit here and there with his tasks. And so, they talked, friendly and comfortably. Seungyoun recognizes the similarities between them: foolish humor and bonding over late-night street food; in addition, he finds Hangyul’s cheery and joyful laugh endearing. 

Seungyoun rolled up his sleeves and carefully pushed Hangyul’s chair into a neat position so the younger wouldn’t wake up with a back pain, then pulled another chair form the next cubicle in and started typing before taking yet another look at the man falling asleep next to his side. Hangyul’s features are much softer in sleep, the tip of his nose was buried in the inside of his elbow and Seungyoun could only see half of his generously curved mouth but the younger looked somehow peaceful. Seungyoun curled his hand into a loose fist, restraining himself from running his fingers through the waves of Hangyul’s thick and close-cut black hair; this isn’t even the first time Seungyoun felt this way. The first time was when they were in the elevator, not alone, but Hangyul was standing in front of him and Seungyoun could smell a faint scent of fresh and flowery shampoo from the younger. 

Minutes and hours passed, Seungyoun let out a yawn when he finally finished the Excel tab Hangyul left unfinished earlier. It’s now past midnight and the silence is still scattering around the narrow cubicle as the late winter air crept through an open window, smoothing his tiring body, taking away the drowsiness he’s falling in. He rested his elbow on the desk and his cheek on his palm while watching Hangyul, quiet breathing and eyes closed.

“How long are you going to sleep?” Seungyoun asked in a hush voice, almost like an airy whisper.

“Hangyul,” he tried calling his name, hesitantly to put his hand on the younger’s back. He could hear his heart thump in accordance with the slow, shallow breaths he was holding as he slightly nudged the sleeping man, “Wake up.”

Hangyul’s eyes fluttered open for a moment then closed from the illuminating light of the screen. He stared at Seungyoun in confusion, blinking and the other tried to hide his smile as best as he could. 

“Hyung,” Hangyul uncontrollably yawned then immediately looked away in embarrassment, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. It’s late, you need to go home.” 

“I hadn’t finished my work yet, I was waiting for you to come back so I could ask you about the third quarter interest rate but then I fell asleep, I didn’t…” Hangyul slowly trailed off as he reached his computer and realized Seungyoun had done his work completely.

“It’s not much,” Seungyoun waved his hand when Hangyul looked up to him, mouth dropping open slightly and eyes widened, “You have worked hard, Hangyul, a little sleep doesn’t hurt.”

“Thank you, hyung, really, I wouldn’t have been able to finish all those even if I stayed awake,” Hangyul coyly rubbed his nose with the tips of his fingers, giggling like there’s a hitch caught in his throat, “I really owe you big time.”

A hundred thoughts started circling around Seungyoun’s head as he heard Hangyul’s giggle that so much resembles a pebble bouncing across a glossy autumn lake, if Seungyoun’s heart could be a lake. It wasn’t like Seungyoun had never heard of the younger’s laughter. Hangyul laughs very often, at Seungyoun’s bad jokes and to everyone in the office, much like a cheerful kid who easily gets excited about every little thing in life. _Endearing._ Seungyoun likes that side of Hangyul and often wonders what other sides of the guy would be. For now, in the dingy office and at the dreadful hour of the day, Hangyu’s giggle sounds like a sound Seungyoun hasn’t heard in a thousand years and it’s a sound he would willingly wait another thousand just to hear again if that’s what it takes. Honestly, it doesn’t take much because Hangyul makes it so easy to fall for him, especially when he looks like how he is right now in front of Seungyoun, hair somewhat tousled and cheeks growing pink, and it doesn’t take longer than ten seconds for Seungyoun to notice the younger was wearing his dress shirt untucked. _Disruptive._ Disruptive yet charming.

“Nothing,” Seungyoun avoided Hangyul’s stare by checking his watch, “Are you hungry? I know a late-night ramen shop around this block.”

“Let’s go there, hyung,” Hangyul quickly picked up his belongings scattered on the desk, “I’ll treat you to dinner. If we can still call it dinner.”

“That’s fine,” Seungyoun laughed, Hangyul sure knows how to fasten his heartbeat. “If you don’t mind, next time, I would love to treat you to dinner, Hangyul, not at this hour, of course.”

“Maybe after we are done with all these third quarter bullshit.” Seungyoun added, expectancy started to roll off as he saw Hangyul’s mouth twitch a bit.

“So, like a date?”

Seungyoun didn’t think a meteoric question could charge the room with so much electricity and make the lamplight so much more golden in his vision. Hesitantly, he reached out until Hangyul’s hand was in his; their hands fit together perfectly, Seungyoun gave out a rueful smile.

“It sure is a date.”

Hangyul nodded and Seungyoun noticed he has the biggest, brightest smile on his face Seungyoun had ever seen since the day the younger stepped into this office. Evidently, it’s not an expression he is familiar with, but one he swears he would do anything to keep seeing again and again.


End file.
